Day 7: Doing chin-ups together
Day 7 is the seventh chapter in the Midori Days manga. Plot Synopsis The chapter begins with a panel-shot of the school. We then see Seiji demanding Midori look the other way. It then zooms out in the next panel to show Seiji grumbling about how he has to use a stall just to pee so nobody sees Midori. Midori begins thinking about how she feels like such a burden to Seiji and that's she's always causing him grief. She comes to the determination she must become useful. As Seiji grumbles about the difficulty of using his left hand to pee, Midori offers to help him. She comes flying out from Seiji's back while flinging her arms and closing her eyes. Seiji of course has no intention of letting her help him pee and yells at her for the idea. Midori then decides that singing a little will help, however Seiji demands she shut up. He then begins peeing as someone pounds on the stall door. Seiji tells them to go away and use the stall next door, and then they continue pounding. Seiji, furious, tells them he'll beat them up if they continue. Without warning, the person forces the door open and is revealed to be the gym teacher Mr. Nishida. Seiji is infuriated and yells at Nishida for being a teacher and yet forcing Seiji out of the bathroom stall. Nishida, obviously not caring about this, simply yells back through the stall door to show some respect and get back to class. Seiji is absolutely furious and kicks the door, telling him he won't get away with it. By accident, Seiji breaks the door on the stall, which slams into Nishida from behind. Seiji then runs as Nishida yells Seiji's last name. We then see a class playing basketball during P.E. Midori asks if Seiji, who is sitting calmly on the sidelines, plans to participate. Midori feels incredibly guilty that Seiji cannot play, but then also imagines Seiji playing basketball, which would result in her being repeatedly slapped into the ball to dribble it. Despite this, she weakly exclaims Seiji can forget about worrying about her and play. Seiji has no intention of doing so. Nishida walks up behind Seiji and laughs, an ominous shadow pouring over him as Seiji looks up. Nishida then demands to know why Seiji isn't playing basketball, and Seiji reminds Nishida that his arm is bandaged up. Nishida immediately calls Seiji a liar. He states he cannot trust anything Seiji says whatsoever due to the fact that Seiji is a delinquent. He comes to the conclusion that Seiji is simply refusing to participate and is 'too good' for his class, which confuses Seiji as Seiji never said such a thing. Nishida then tells Seiji he will do fifty chin ups or else Nishida will fail him. Seiji tries to tell Nishida his hand is bandaged up, however Nishida tells Seiji to shutup and just do it because he said so. Seiji glares angrily at Nishida, but gives in and heads to the chin-up bar. He grips onto the chin-up bar with his left hand while Midori laments that she has once again caused Seiji grief. Seiji begins doing the chin-ups, furious with Nishida. Midori apologizes and states she'll help Seiji out, however Seiji tells her that it's not her fault that Nishida is a jerk. He goes on to say that he can do it on his own. The following words are said by Seiji to a black panel with Midori's face. "Midori, I don't need your help, okay?" Seiji begins his chin-ups with Nishida laughing at him. As it continues, Takako walks over and calls Nishida out on the fact that he's forcing Seiji to do activities that none of the other boys have to. Nishida then states as proudly as he can that he's doing this for Seiji's own good. That Seiji has a temper and will blow up on anybody, and this way Seiji must learn to control his temper through exercise. As a teacher, it is Nishida's duty. In the time for the speech Nishida gave, he didn't realize Takako had quit listening and was intently watching Seiji, as Seiji appeared to be on number forty eight. Nishida expresses mental surprise that Seiji would be that far in. As Seiji finishes number forty nine, his arm goes numb. No longer able to feel it, he desperately tries to haul himself over the bar, but fails. He loses his grip and plummets to the ground, one short of fifty. Without warning, Midori flies up and grabs the bar. Seiji yells to Midori that she is being too risky helping, however Midori exclaims to Seiji that she feels like nothing but a problem to Seiji and wants to help. She doesn't want to be a damsel Seiji always has to protect, she wants to be someone Seiji can rely on for help when he needs it. Despite her weak strength, she grips the chin-up bar as hard as she can, as Seiji flings his left arm up and grabs the pole, finishing his fiftieth chin up. Nishida looks at Seiji angrily, and walks away, muttering he knew Seiji would have to use his right hand. True to his word, however, Nishida doesn't fail Seiji. Seiji cradles a weak Midori in his hand and notes he can always rely on his right hand. It is then nighttime and Seiji is once again attempting to use the bathroom. Like before, he tells Midori not to look. Unfortunately, he begins whining and tearing up when he notes how numb his left hand is now to the point of uselessness. Midori, once again, offers to assist. Seiji demands to know what she's doing, as she says she'll do her best and leave it to her, to which Seiji yells at her to do her best at something else. Notes * The chapter never really explains why Nishida chose that exact stall. * The toilet Seiji attempts to use in the school is a Japanese style toilet, while the one at his house at the end of the chapter is a regular toilet. Category:Manga Chapters Category:Volume 1 Category:Chapters involving Takako Category:Browse Category:Days